SU Athletics

Trina Catterson continues 73-year-old tradition as Orange Girl

Courtesy of Trina Catterson

Trina Catterson grew up in Queens and picked up twirling at four-years-old. She eventually competed at the World Championships and is now Syracuse's 25th Orange Girl.

Since 1947, the Syracuse marching band has been accompanied by an Orange Girl, a twirler who wows crowds with eye-catching routines at home basketball and football games.

On top of performing, the Orange Girl is the face of the marching band and an ambassador for the entire university. When Isabella Bolduc stepped down last year, the position opened for Syracuse’s 25th Orange Girl. Now, SUNY Oswego freshman Trina Catterson has taken on the 73-year-old role — one she has been training for her entire life.

Catterson’s mother, Kathy, was a twirler growing up and went on to coach it. Twirling is a sport that combines dance, artistic expression and agility while manipulating a baton, according to the World Baton Twirling Federation. Growing up in Queens, Catterson first got involved with competitive twirling at the age of 4, but was preparing even before that.

“I would go to the lessons that (my mother) was teaching and just mimic the girls in the background,” Catterson said. “Eventually, my mom put a baton in my hands.”

Kathy first knew her daughter’s twirling ability was special when her daughter was only 5 years old. Catterson’s “wrist flexibility developed better than the average 5-year-old,” Kathy said, and she understood how the baton moved. When Catterson turned 6, Kathy brought her to a camp in Long Island where she was asked to join a team. In her first year of competition, Catterson went to the twirling national championships.



“Oh, I think it’s awesome,” Kathy said. “I love watching her twirl on the field. I love watching her twirl at the pre-games and seeing everyone’s reaction. I find it amazing.”

Trina Catterson poses in front of the marching band in the quad

According to a 2014 CBS report, Catterson has racked up at least 32 national titles and 260 total awards. She competed in the World Baton Twirling Championships in England in 2014.

In May of 2019, when Catterson heard the position of Orange Girl had opened up, she immediately reached out to the SU marching band director, Timothy Diem, who allowed her to try out. Syracuse University’s marching band advertises itself as the New York state marching band, Catterson said, and many members attend neighboring schools.

After her tryout and interview, Catterson was offered the role in June. Since then, she’s won SU’s performer of the year and rookie of the year awards at the marching band’s banquet, the latter of which is voted on by the band members themselves.

When Clemson football visited the Carrier Dome in September 2019, it was Catterson’s first game performing — in front of the 50,248-person crowd.

“I think it was the best game of the season,” Catterson said. “The crowd was so into it, the student section is always amazing, and the whole band was also so supportive.”

One of the people responsible for Catterson getting the position was ex-Orange Girl Meghan Sinisi. Sinisi held the role from 2013-17 and was part of the group that watched Catterson audition. Sinisi was impressed from the start. Catterson’s energy and enthusiasm wowed her, she said, and the talent was clearly there.

Orange Girl duties are much more than just being a performer, Sinisi said, as twirlers must be an ambassador for the marching band and the university as a whole.

Trina Catterson poses with Otto the Orange in the Carrier Dome

“The Orange Girl really embodies the spirit of Syracuse,” she said, “and it’s a pretty big responsibility because you’re basically the face of something bigger than yourself … it’s a really unique opportunity.”

Sinisi told Catterson she would feel like a celebrity on campus, but the 2020 Orange Girl didn’t believe her — at least until she began performing. Now, despite not even going to Syracuse, Catterson is congratulated after games and asked to pose for photographs with students and children.

“I think just the feeling of being recognized by so many people was not something that I was expecting,” Catterson said. “But it’s so awesome.”

Still only a freshman, Catterson will be asked to perform, pose for photos, represent the marching band and Syracuse University for the next three years. But eventually, to continue the decades old tradition, she will have to pass the baton to Orange Girl No. 26.

Photos courtesy of Trina Catterson

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